Aerosol Sensor Fault Detection With Sleep-State Power Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aerosol generation devices face issues due to sensor deterioration, leading to unintended atomization of the aerosol source when the user does not perform a suction action, resulting in waste. Existing techniques do not effectively detect sensor troubles or recognize their causes.
Innovation Solution
A power supply unit for aerosol generation devices that includes a sensor to detect aerosol generation requests and a control unit to determine the sensor's state. The control unit transitions the power supply unit to a sleep state if an abnormal state is detected, allowing for reactivation when the abnormality is due to aerosol source leakage. The system also includes a notification unit to alert the user of sensor abnormalities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sensor is used continuously to detect user suction actions, then the device can respond to user needs, but the sensor deteriorates over time causing false detection and unintended aerosol generation
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit performs preliminary detection of sensor output values before using the sensor for aerosol generation control. By checking whether the output value falls within a predetermined range in advance, the system identifies sensor deterioration early and prevents false detection, thereby maintaining reliability throughout the sensor's service life.
2Ease of repair
If various inspections are performed to recognize sensor trouble content and cause, then accurate diagnosis is achieved, but it takes a lot of time and labor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential diagnostic information by monitoring only the output value of the sensor. Instead of performing comprehensive inspections, the control unit simply checks whether the output value is within the predetermined range, enabling quick and accurate trouble recognition with minimal time and labor.
3Productivity
If the device atomizes aerosol source based on sensor output, then user suction actions are detected, but sensor deterioration causes unintended atomization when user does not suction
Solution Approach 1:
The control unit continuously monitors the sensor output value and compares it against the predetermined range. When the output value deviates from the range due to sensor deterioration, the control unit adjusts or stops aerosol generation, providing feedback control that prevents unintended atomization and aerosol source waste while maintaining normal operation when the sensor is functional.
Data Source
AI summary
A power supply unit of an aerosol generation device that supplies electric power to a load that generates aerosol including a sensor that is in an operating state among a normal state and a plurality of abnormal states, and detects an aerosol generation request while the power supply unit is in an active state, a control unit that detects a state of the sensor, and generates an error signal capable of distinguishing between a first and second abnormal states when the sensor is in at least one of the first and second abnormal states included in the plurality of abnormal states, and a notification unit that makes a notification in a different mode for each type of the error signal, wherein the control unit causes the power supply unit to undergo a transition from the active state to a sleep state after generating the error signal, and the plurality of abnormal states include a state in which supply of electric power to the load is unnecessary for detection by the control unit.